Ukraine has made it clear that it will not join the European Union unless it can participate in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and sell its cereals freely within the EU single market. On Wednesday, Ukrainian officials stated they would oppose any restrictions on their agricultural exports during the country’s accession process to the EU. This comes as the European Union, particularly France, has proposed safeguards to ease concerns about the impact of Ukrainian wheat on European markets. These restrictions are part of a broader effort to protect European farmers from potential market disruptions. Agriculture has become a major point of contention in Ukraine’s bid to integrate with the EU. Countries like France and Poland are worried that a sudden influx of Ukrainian wheat could overwhelm European markets and harm local farmers. These concerns have led the European Commission to suggest limiting Ukraine’s access to EU agricultural markets and subsidies, including the CAP. The CAP is a key EU program that provides financial support to farmers and helps manage agricultural production across member states. Ukrainian Minister of Agriculture Taras Vyssotsky said his country would consider temporary measures but would not accept "a permanent restriction," which he said contradicted the idea of full EU membership. He emphasized that such a restriction would not be a temporary solution but a different model of accession, which Ukraine cannot accept. Vyssotsky acknowledged the concerns of European farmers but denied that Ukraine poses a threat to them. He called for "substantial discussions" on how long it would take for Ukraine to adapt, how much market access it would have, and what safeguards could be put in place. Ukraine’s agricultural sector has suffered greatly due to Russian attacks in recent months. Storage facilities have been damaged, and exporting cereals through the Black Sea has become increasingly risky. Last week, Poland and Romania refused to help Ukraine sell its cereals or assist with transporting them across Europe. Despite these challenges, Ukraine is pushing for an accelerated accession process to the EU, which has been under way since the Russian invasion began in 2022. However, the process requires approval from all 27 EU member states at each stage, making it a long and complicated journey.